Electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A connector designed to mate with a wire wrap terminal block, and to straighten any pins on the block which may be slightly bent at the time the connector is coupled to the block. The connector is arranged in such a manner that its cover may be removed to expose internal electrical joints within the connector without removing the connector from the terminal block and without disturbing the internal connector joints.

[ 1 Jan. 15, 1974 3,167,373 1/1965 Kostich 339/45 M X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 977,312 11/1950 France 339/192 R Primary ExaminerMarvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-William F. Pate. lll Att0rneyPhilip D. Amins [57] ABSTRACT A connector designed to mate with a wire wrap terminal block, and to straighten any pins on the block which may be slightly bent at the time the connector is coupled to the block. The connector is arranged in such a manner that its cover may be removed to expose internal electrical joints within the connector without removing the connector from the terminal block and without disturbing the internal connector joints.

20 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 339/66 M x 339/192 R X B 00 H 9 3 3 Roslyn, NY.

t n e Paul V. DeLuca, Port Washington, NY.

Porta Systems Corp Jan. 3, 1972 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 1 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR [75] lnventor:

Assignee:

[22] Filed:

Appl. No.2 214,715

U S Cl Int. Cl.

Field of Search 3,602,875 3 185,955 2,356,752

llriite DeLuca ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a connector for providing electrical contact with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins extending from a terminal supporting surface.

In the design of connectors having a relatively large number of contact elements, difficulties have been encountered due to the close proximity of the elements and the difficulty of servicing internal joints within the connector. In the particular case where the connector is intended to mate with a wire wrap terminal block, such as is commonly used in telephone central office equipment, these problems are further aggravated by the presence of wire wrap connections on the pins of the terminal block. In such apparatus, care must be taken that the connector does not disturb the wire wrap connections and does not break or crush pins which have become slightly bent. Due to considerable force which is required to insert and remove connectors having large numbers of contact elements, it is highly desirable to be able to service internal joints within the connector without removing the connector from the terminal block with which it is mated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As herein described, a connector provides electrical contact with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins extending from a terminal supporting surface. The connector comprises a quide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving and orienting the pins extending from the terminal supporting surface. A connector plate is disposed adjacent to the guide plate. The connector plate has a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed thereon, each element having at least one conductive resilient contact finger for engaging a corresponding terminal pin extending from the terminal supporting surface, and a terminal lead electrically connected to the finger. A detachable cover assembly encloses the terminal leads and secures the guide plate and connector plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description hereinafter considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded isometric view of the major components of the connector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and a terminal block to which the connector may be mated;

FIG. 2 shows the components of the connector in exploded isometric view with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the end portion of the connector in mated relationship with the adjacent portion of the terminal block shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a single pin of the terminal block shown in FIG. 1, and the mating portion of the connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown the terminal block 1 which comprises a central wire supporting block 2 and end wire supporting blocks 3 and 4 which are held to gether by end plates 5 and 6 secured thereto. A plurality of wires 7 of substantially rectangular cross section extend through the central support block 2 and the end support blocks 3 and 4.

The terminal block 1 may, e.g., comprise a portion of the apparatus in a telephone central office with wire wrap connections to the wires 7 at various points along their length. The exposed outer surface of the end support block 4 comprises a terminal supporting surface 8 through which the ends of the wires 7 project to form a multiplicity of wire wrap terminal pins 9. The terminal pins 9 are preferably arranged so that the major surfaces thereof are mutually parallel.

One or more wires (not shown in FIG. 1) may be wrapped about the base of each of the terminal pins 9 adjacent the terminal supporting surface 8. It is important that the connector which mates with the terminal pins 9 contact only the outer end portions of the pins, so as not to interfere with any wire wrap connections on the base portions of the pins.

The connector 10, which is designed to mate with the terminal pins 9 of the terminal block 1 comprises a guide plate 11, a connector plate 12, a cover member 13 partially lined with a sheet of insulating material 14, and a bracket 15.

The guide plate 11, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2, is made of an insulating material such as nylon or any other suitable plastic and is provided with a multiplicity of tapered holes l6 (FIG. 2) corresponding to the terminal pins 9 so that when the connector 10 is mated with terminal pins 9 of the terminal block 1, each of the pins 9 is directed into a corresponding one of the holes 16. The tapered design of the holes 16 serves to straighten any of the terminal pins 9 which may be slightly bent, and to orient the pins in a direction substantially normal to the major surface 17 of the guide plate Ill.

The guide plate 11 is provided with a pair of peripheral projections 18 which abut against the terminal supporting surface 8 of the terminal block 1, and space the connector 10 away from the terminal supporting surface 8 a sufficient distance so that no portion of the connector 10 contacts any wires which may be wrapped around the base portion of one or more of the terminal leads 9. The guide plate 11 is also provided with a pair of peripheral slots 19 which may be engaged by bent folds (not shown) on the leading edge 20 of the cover 13; the bent folds serving as flanges which permit the cover 13 to slidably engage the slots 19 of the guide plate II.

The guide plate 11 is also provided with projections 21 which surround the adjacent portion of the contact elements mounted on the connector plate 112, so as to restrain lateral motion of the connector plate 12.

The connector plate 12, which may be constructed of a metal or a rigid insulating material, has a multiplicity of contact elements 22 mounted thereon in alignment with the tapered holes 16 of the guide plate 11. Each contact element 22, as more clearly shown in FIG. 4, comprises a pair of oppositely disposed resilient contact fingers 23 terminating in a single conductor 24 which extends through a hole in the connector plate 12 to provide a terminal lead for the connector, to which an external wire or wires may be attached. Preferably the terminal lead 24 is of substantially rectangular cross section to facilitate the use of wire wrap techniques for attachment of external wires thereto. Surrounding the conductive contact fingers 23 of the contact element 22 is a sheath 25 of insulating material. The sheath 25 extends into the hole in the connector plate 12 to insulate the conductive portion of the contact element 22 from the (preferably metallic) connector plate 12. A washer 26 of insulating material is press-fitted onto the terminal lead 24 to secure the contact element 22 to the connector plate 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the contact fingers 23 engage opposite major surfaces of a corresponding terminal pin 9 when the connector 10 is mated with the terminal block 1, the guide plate 11 serving to properly orient the terminal pin 9 while the projections 18 of the guide block 11 serve to space the connector 10 from the terminal supporting surface 8 by a distance d sufficiently great so that the connector 10 does not interfere with the wire wrap connection of wire 27 to the base portion of the terminal lead 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the insulating sheath 25 of each of the contact elements 22 is provided with a rectangular recess 28 for receiving the corresponding one of the terminal leads 9 and with communicating recesses in which the resilient contact fingers 23 are disposed and adapted to engage corresponding ones of the terminal pins 9. Thus, the external appearance of the recesses in each of the insulating sheaths 25 is in the form of a cross.

The manner in which the guide plate 11 acts to provide proper alignment to the terminal pins 9 of the terminal block 1 may be more clearly understood from FIG. 3, in which corresponding numerals are employed to designate the elements also shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. In order to retain the connector plate 12 in position against the guide plate 11, the cover 13 is provided with an enlarged portion 29 adjacent the leading edge 20 thereof, so that the transition region 30 between the enlarged portion 29 and the remaining portion of the cover 13 forms a shoulder which abuts against the exposed surface of the connector plate 12 when the bent folds (not shown) of the cover 13 slidably engage the slots 19 of the guide plate 11. A multi-conductor cable containing a group of wires (not shown) may be inserted into the aperture 31 of the cover 13 (and the aligned aperture 32 of the insulating sheet 14), and the exposed ends of the wires are then secured to various ones of the terminal leads 24, preferably by wire wrap techniques. The multi-conductor cable may be retained in position by means of a strain relief clamp 33.

Since the direction of movement of the cover 13 for disengagement with the guide plate 11 and connector plate 12 is parallel to the orientation of the multiconductor cable which enters the cover 13 via the aperture 31 therein, the cover 13 may be readily removed (after loosening the clamp 33) without removing the connector 10 from the terminal block 1, and without disturbing the connections between the wires of the multi-conductor cable and the terminal leads 24 of the connector 10 about which they are wrapped. As a result, the internal structure of the connector may be readily inspected whenever desired, without the risk of damaging the internal connections by the inspection process. Moreover, since the wires of the multiconductor cable are oriented at right angles to the terminal leads 24, the connections to interior ones of the leads 24 are readily visible.

The bracket 15, most clearly shown in FIG. 2, is provided with a first flange 34 having a threaded hole 35 therein disposed in alignment with an elongated hole 36 in the cover 13. The bracket includes a second flange 37 having a threaded hole 38 therein disposed in alignment with a hole 39 in the guide plate 11, and a threaded hole 40 in the connector plate 12. Thus, the bracket 15 may be secured to the guide block 11 and connector plate 12 by means of a screw 41 and secured to the cover 13 by another screw (not shown).

The four sides of the cover 13, the surface ofthe connector plate 12 from which the terminal leads 24 extend, and the bracket 15 cooperate to form a rectangular enclosure which protects the connections of the multi-conductor cable to the terminal leads 24 from mechanical damage or deterioration by external contaminants.

Preferably, a rubber grommet (not shown) may be inserted in the aperture 31 to prevent damage to the multi-conductor cable by abrasion against the adjacent portion of the cover 13.

While the cover 13 is preferably made of a sheet metal such as aluminum or steel, in order to provide the necessary flanges for engagement with the slots 19 of the guide plate 11, the cover 13 could alternatively be made of an insulating material (for applications where electrical shielding of the connector is not required), and provided with suitable flanges secured thereto.

The insulating sheet 14 is preferably made of a thin insulating material such as fish paper which may be glued or otherwise secured to the interior surface of the cover 13.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be readily apparant to those skilled in the art that there are a multitude of changes, improvements and modifications which may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is: l. A connector in combination with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins of substantially rectangular cross section extending from a terminal supporting surface wherein each of said pins has a wire wrapped about a portion thereof adjacent said surface and said connector comprising:

a guide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving said pins and orienting said pins in a direction substantially normal to said guide plate, a connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed on one side of said connector plate adjacent said guide plate, each of said contact elements having a first recess of substantially rectangular cross section therein for receiving a corresponding one of said wire wrap terminal pins,

a second recess communicating with said first recess, and

at least one conductive resilient contact finger disposed in said first recess and adapted to slidably engage the portion of said corresponding wire wrap terminal pins disposed in said first recess,

said connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of conductive terminal leads extending outwardly of said second recesses from the other side of said connector plate connected to respective ones of said contact fingers,

a cover member slidably mounted upon at least one of said guide and connector plates, said cover member and the other side of said connector plate cooperating to define a cavity for receiving a group of wires which may be connected to one or more of said terminal leads,

said cover member having an aperture therein through which said group of wires may extend, and

said aperture being disposed so that said cover may be slidably disengaged from said guide plate without disturbing any connections between said group of wires and said terminal leads.

2. A connector according to claim 1, including means for spacing said guide plate from said terminal supporting surface a sufficient distance so that said guide plate does not interfere with the wires wrapped about said terminal pins.

3. A connector according to claim 2, wherein said spacing means comprises at least one projection on said guide plate.

4. A connector according to claim 2, wherein each contact element includes two of said contact fingers adapted to engage opposite sides of said corresponding wire wrap terminal.

5. A connector according to claim 4, wherein said guide plate has two oppositely disposed peripheral grooves therein, and

said cover member has two inwardly directed flanges thereon for slidably engaging said grooves.

6. A connector according to claim 5, wherein said cover member comprises sheet material, and

said flanges are bent folds of said material.

7. A connector according to claim 6, wherein said material has an enlarged section adjacent said folds, and

said connector plate is disposed within said enlarged section so that the transition between said enlarged section and the remaining portion of said cover forms a shoulder which retains said connector plate in position adjacent said guide plate.

8. A connector according to claim 7, wherein said contact elements are each surrounded by a sheath of insulating material.

9. The connector according to claim 8, wherein said terminal leads are of substantially rectangular cross section.

10. A connector according to claim 9, including insulating material disposed on at least a portion of the inside of said cover member.

11. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said cover member comprises four walls forming a portion of a rectangular enclosure, the other side of said connector plate forming a fifth wall of said enclosure, a bracket forming the sixth wall of said enclosure, and

means for securing said bracket to the adjacent portions of said guide plate and said cover member.

12. A connector according to claim 11, wherein each contact element includes two of said contact fingers adapted to engage opposite sides of said corresponding wire wrap terminal.

13. A connector according to claim 12, wherein said guide plate has two oppositely disposed peripheral grooves therein, and

said cover member has two inwardly directed flanges thereof for slidably engaging said grooves.

14. A connector according to claim 11, wherein said cover member comprises sheet materials, and

said flanges are bent folds of said material.

15. A connector according to claim 12, wherein said material has an enlarged section adjacent said folds, and

said connector plate is disposed within said enlarged section so that the transition between said enlarged section and the remaining portion of said cover forms a shoulder which retains said connector plate in position adjacent said guide plate.

16. A connector in combination with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins extending from a terminal supporting surface, wherein one or more of said pins may be bent, said connector comprising:

a guide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving and orienting said pins,

a connector plate adjacent said guide plate,

said connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed thereon,

each of said contact elements having at least one conductive resilient contact finger for engaging a corresponding terminal pin,

terminal leads electrically connected to said fingers,

a detachable cover assembly enclosing said terminal leads and securing said guide plate in adjacent relationship with said connector plate, and

means for spacing said guide plate a predetermined distance from said terminal supporting surface while permitting engagement of said terminal pins by said contact fingers.

17. A connector according to claim 16, wherein each of said contact elements has a recess therein for receiving said corresponding terminal pin.

18. A connector according to claim 17, wherein said contact fingers and said terminal leads are disposed on opposite sides of said connector plate. 19. A connector for providing electrical contact with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins extending from a terminal supporting surface, wherein one or more of said pins may be bent, comprising:

a guide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving and orienting said pins,

a connector plate adjacent to said guide plate,

said connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed thereon,

each of said contact elements having at least one conductive resilient contact finger for engaging a corresponding terminal pin,

each of said contact elements having a recess therein for receiving said corresponding terminal pin,

terminal leads electrically connected to said fingers,

a detachable cover assembly enclosing said terminal leads and securing said guide plate in adjacent relationship with said connector plate, and

said cover member slidably engaging said guide plate.

20. A connector according to claim 19, wherein said terminal pins and said recess are of rectangular cross section. 

1. A connector in combination with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins of substantially rectangular cross section extending from a terminal supporting surface wherein each of said pins has a wire wrapped about a portion thereof adjacent said surface and said connector comprising: a guide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving said pins and orienting said pins in a direction substantially normal to said guide plate, a connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed on one side of said connector plate adjacent said guide plate, each of said contact elements having a first recess of substantially rectangular cross section therein for receiving a corresponding one of said wire wrap terminal pins, a second recess communicating with said first recess, and at least one conductive resilient contact finger disposed in said first recess and adapted to slidably engage the portion of said corresponding wire wrap terminal pins disposed in said first recess, said connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of conductive terminal leads extending outwardly of said second recesses from the other side of said connector plate connected to respective ones of said contact fingers, a cover member slidably mounted upon at least one of said guide and connector plates, said cover member and the other side of said connector plate cooperating to define a cavity for receiving a group of wires which may be connected to one or more of said terminal leads, said cover member having an aperture therein through which said group of wires may extend, and said aperture being disposed so that said cover may be slidably disengaged from said guide plate without disturbing any connections between said group of wires and said terminal leads.
 2. A connector according to claim 1, including means for spacing said guide plate from said terminal supporting surface a sufficient distance so that said guide plate does not interfere with the wires wrapped about said terminal pins.
 3. A connector according to claim 2, wherein said spacing means comprises at least one projection on said guide plate.
 4. A connector according to claim 2, wherein each contact element includes two of said contact fingers adapted to engage opposite sides of said corresponding wire wrap terminal.
 5. A connector according to claim 4, wherein said guide plate has two oppositely disposed peripheral grooves therein, and said cover member has two inwardly directed flanges thereon for slidably engaging said grooves.
 6. A connector according to claim 5, wherein said cover member comprises sheet material, and said flanges are bent folds of said material.
 7. A connector according to claim 6, wherein said material has an enlarged section adjacent said folds, and said connector plate is disposed within said enlarged section so that the transition between said enlarged section anD the remaining portion of said cover forms a shoulder which retains said connector plate in position adjacent said guide plate.
 8. A connector according to claim 7, wherein said contact elements are each surrounded by a sheath of insulating material.
 9. The connector according to claim 8, wherein said terminal leads are of substantially rectangular cross section.
 10. A connector according to claim 9, including insulating material disposed on at least a portion of the inside of said cover member.
 11. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said cover member comprises four walls forming a portion of a rectangular enclosure, the other side of said connector plate forming a fifth wall of said enclosure, a bracket forming the sixth wall of said enclosure, and means for securing said bracket to the adjacent portions of said guide plate and said cover member.
 12. A connector according to claim 11, wherein each contact element includes two of said contact fingers adapted to engage opposite sides of said corresponding wire wrap terminal.
 13. A connector according to claim 12, wherein said guide plate has two oppositely disposed peripheral grooves therein, and said cover member has two inwardly directed flanges thereof for slidably engaging said grooves.
 14. A connector according to claim 11, wherein said cover member comprises sheet materials, and said flanges are bent folds of said material.
 15. A connector according to claim 12, wherein said material has an enlarged section adjacent said folds, and said connector plate is disposed within said enlarged section so that the transition between said enlarged section and the remaining portion of said cover forms a shoulder which retains said connector plate in position adjacent said guide plate.
 16. A connector in combination with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins extending from a terminal supporting surface, wherein one or more of said pins may be bent, said connector comprising: a guide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving and orienting said pins, a connector plate adjacent said guide plate, said connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed thereon, each of said contact elements having at least one conductive resilient contact finger for engaging a corresponding terminal pin, terminal leads electrically connected to said fingers, a detachable cover assembly enclosing said terminal leads and securing said guide plate in adjacent relationship with said connector plate, and means for spacing said guide plate a predetermined distance from said terminal supporting surface while permitting engagement of said terminal pins by said contact fingers.
 17. A connector according to claim 16, wherein each of said contact elements has a recess therein for receiving said corresponding terminal pin.
 18. A connector according to claim 17, wherein said contact fingers and said terminal leads are disposed on opposite sides of said connector plate.
 19. A connector for providing electrical contact with a multiplicity of conductive terminal pins extending from a terminal supporting surface, wherein one or more of said pins may be bent, comprising: a guide plate of insulating material having a corresponding multiplicity of tapered holes therein for receiving and orienting said pins, a connector plate adjacent to said guide plate, said connector plate having a corresponding multiplicity of contact elements disposed thereon, each of said contact elements having at least one conductive resilient contact finger for engaging a corresponding terminal pin, each of said contact elements having a recess therein for receiving said corresponding terminal pin, terminal leads electrically connected to said fingers, a detachable cover assembly enclosing said terminal leads and seCuring said guide plate in adjacent relationship with said connector plate, and said cover member slidably engaging said guide plate.
 20. A connector according to claim 19, wherein said terminal pins and said recess are of rectangular cross section. 